Jose Guadalupe Anguiano alias “El Chepe” traveling vagabond and gypsy-from the heart of Michoacán. I think my story is a lot like many other migrant children. I grew up in the west coast of this country I’ve lived in California, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. I currently work seasonal gigs in Alaska to fuel my art. I guess I lack words to tell people who i am. I live for art and those who exist for it.

El Chepe

Where are you from? What is your heritage?
I am from Zamora, Michoacán. I was born in Michoacán and my heritage is 100% mestiso.

What is the medium that you most commonly work in?
My medium is pen and ink including some brush.

What tends to inspire you and your work?
What inspire me are the people around me even if it may be in a single conversation. Love work and wine and a woman who has green eyes fuel me. People’s art music, dance, anything that has the creative spark i find inspiration in.

If it was not for art I would be………..?
That’s a good question. I exist only to create art in this world, which is my purpose here. I cannot say where i would be if it was not for art, i dare not even imagine it.

Do you have any artistic relatives? If so what do they do?
A couple of primos back in California. One is a ska musician and the other a grupero musician, that’s it.

Is music part of your creative process? What do you listen to most?
Hell yeah! When you need to get in the zone or i mean tap into the collective creative subconscious, i hope i spelled that right? There is nothing like a corrido or oldies or whatever as long as its there.

What food most reminds you of home?
Jalapenos, it might not be a food but i eat those things like cheetos, nameen.

When you are with family do speak mostly in English or Espanola?
Only Spanish my mother and father have lived in the states for more than 15 years and speak very broken Spanish I myself still have problems spelling the English language.

What do you think could help raise the profile of young Latino artists here in America?
sticking together as a group and sharing our stories, building friendships and art. Our talent is here now; all we need to do is do like John Lennon said Come together right now (over Art).

Is there a connection between Latino artists here in the US and those throughout the hemisphere?
I think so; our passion for life is common all over the world we are known for this passion, and chilies, no pun intended.

Anybody you would like to thank or acknowledge?
Everyone who reads this, you the person who listens to the voice that is here speaking to you in type. Including a big up to Desmadre Crew. You know who you are. Viva Michoacán! Y tambien mi tio.

Desmadre is founded on the idea that as the world becomes more connected cultures will continually draw inspiration from disparate sources to create new modes of celebrating culture. For us the idea of mashing together the strong revolutionary traditions of Posada with D.I.Y ideals and a good dose of Taco Truck aesthetics defines what it is that makes Desmadre Arte Desmadre.

Show your support for Desmadre’s further efforts to bring together emerging Latino artists here in the United States and throughout the hemisphere. All funds from the sales of this shirt will go towards enabling us to provide the very best event on May 14th at Vermillion Gallery.
Special thanks DZUL Studio and Moksha for their support in making this possible

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Desmadre Arte is a collective effort by curators Jose Tapia and Damion Hayes and artist Julio Guerrero to showcase emerging artists who are incorporating traditional latino cultural themes within contemporary works. Our goal is to shed light on a growing movement amongst latino artists who are exploring and incorporating cultural roots while creating work that expresses the 21st century realities and complexities of life. To do this we are producing artshows that revolve around these themes as well as maintain the website (https://desmadrearte.wordpress.com) to showcase the artists we feel best represent these ideals. Our first show, Desmadre, will open May 14th, 2009 at Vermillion Gallery in Seattle, Wa.

Sunnyside natives staging art show in Seattle
By Corey Russell
SEATTLE – Desmadre Arte, a three-person team made up of Sunnyside natives Julio Guerrero and Josè Tapia, and Tapia’s mentor Damion Hayes, will host an art show on Thursday, May 14, at the Vermillion Gallery in Seattle, located at 1508 11th Ave., from 6 to 10 p.m.
The show, titled Desmadre: Fresh Latino Perspectives in America, will feature emerging artists who are incorporating Latino cultural themes within urban contemporary works.
Both Tapia and Guerrero are Sunnyside High School graduates, Tapia from the class of 2002 and Guerrero from 2001’s class. Both went to the Art Institute of Seattle, where they studied different aspects of art but both ended up gravitating towards the fine arts side.

Not only is Alejandro an airbrush artist par excellence, he is also Dzul studio’s front man providing the marketing, business and team direction.He had the artistic aye at an early age. He’s been drawing since, and the more he did, the more he wanted to keep learning different mediums to express himself. When he began learning airbrush many years ago, he found it opened him up to a new outlet of artistic expression.While it’s hard to categorize Alejandro’s art as a specific style, he describes it as “neo-twist-generation”-the melting of the hottest things in art into one innovative rendering. He credits his artistic influences, to his life style, street art, tattoo art, and really, all great art in general. His passion for art isn’t limited to a single form. He’s also an accomplished graphic artist, photographer, and will be creating a future clothing line. Whatever artistic medium Alejandro works in, he loves the outcome of something that has never been tried before, and puts a new twist on whatever he creates. You can see new works by Alejandro Dzul at “Desmadre: Fresh Latino Perspectives” at Vermillion Gallery Seattle.

Where are you from? What is your heritage?

I’m from Anaheim CA, My heritage is Mexican

What is the medium that you most commonly work in?

Photography, airbrush, and digital graphics

What tends to inspire you and your work?

As an Artist I get inspired easily by just about anything unique at any different time; by life itself, people, colors, sounds, music, and art of any medium. The simple idea of showcasing and exhibiting things that I like and how I view them or I can portray them gets me inspired to create works that show how I feel, the way I think or view subjects and at times just simple dreams or illusions. Also I’m inspired to be paid to create and artistically express the views and ideas of others.

If it was not for art I would be………..?

If it weren’t for art, I would be doing big business!!

Do you have any artistic relatives? If so what do they do?

The majority of my relatives are very artistic, my brother Smiley is not only a top notch and well know tattoo artist in the Seattle area but also has a great natural gifted talent for airbrush and traditional art mediums. My Two Sisters Catalina & Elizabeth are great piercing artists. My older brother Alvaro is also a great traditional illustrator and tattoo artist.

Is music part of your creative process? What do you listen to most?

Music is not a main component of my creative process, I’d rather listen most to my own internal musical thoughts. Sometimes outside music may stir me away from my original thinking. But I do listen to classical music sometimes when I’m creating works of art it as it helps me to focus and relax while I’m working.

What food most reminds you of home?

Home made Nopales salad, (mmmmn I should learn how to prepare one of those), home made authentic Guacamole, green salsa, and enchiladas or enfrijoladas reminds me of home.

When you are with family do speak mostly in English or Español?

puro Español at home, Spanglish with my extended family and English for business.

What do you think could help raise the profile of young Latino artists here in America?

I think being aware of how we are perceived by others within the culture and society not only as young Latino Artists but as young Latinos in general will give us a better sense on how to raise our profile. We young Latinos, I feel, we have the duty to stand up and express our selves on issues that surround our community of today and showcase and exhibit our own points of views, customs and culture. The beauty and reflections of our selves needs to shine through different mediums whether visual or audio. No one but our selves has the power to raise our profiles and make an impact and effect on the status quo.

Is there a connection between Latino artists here in the US and those throughout the hemisphere?

I believe that there is a very strong connection between Latino artists here in the US and Latino Artists through out the hemisphere. The various Latino artists works of art I have seen personally seem to reflect some of the same issues that we are faced with today.

Anybody you would like to thank or acknowledge?

I would like to thank anyone and everyone who has supported, found beauty or meaning in my work within this Desmadre. And would also like to thank my big familia!